This is where I do all of my design work, tweeting, and online shopping. Below are the social networking sites I stay active with:
'Gordon'
Crayon
March 31st, 1992
At the early age of 3, I first became interested in Expressionist Art. It was that time in my life where I struggled to express the feelings evoked by the challenges presented by early childhood. I experimented with this style because I was more interested in depicting my feelings rather than focusing on the realistic interpretation of what I was observing.
Ever since I was old enough to know better than to swallow and choke on small toys, I've been playing with LEGOs and creating things inspired by my surroundings. It is safe to say that the innovative attitude I have developed since my childhood emerged with toys such as LEGOs, Play-Doh, K'NEX, G.I. Joes, and Transformers. These toys have aided in my ability to problem solve and critically analyze my environment. Meaningful learning requires a period of open-ended 'playing around' with alternative ways of accomplishing goals and these toys complemented my creative development. Through LEGOs, I achieved a feeling of pure delight because I "experienced in first person" how my ideas emerged and transformed through my creative manipulation of systems. LEGO is a perfect example of a system that bridges both scientific and artistic exploration making it possible to harness curiosity and playfulness simultaneously in pursuit of learning and creativity. By learning to give shape and form to our imagination, by constructing and externalizing concepts, making them tangible and shareable, we can not only reflect on them ourselves, but also invite others to reflect with us, allowing us to learn from both. This enables us to begin creating things that are new, surprising and valuable to us as individuals, but perhaps also to others – which is innovation. Notice my haircut in the photograph above; I was even ahead of my time with the bangs.
Every Christmas, I make a gingerbread house. This 3-tier pagoda from 2008, required 30 hours of planning, sketching, baking, and construction. It was composed of 36 cups of dough and a whole lot of candy. The finished product was edible, however, it required jaws of steel to be consumed.
Ever since my freshmen year in college, I've been doing graphic design for Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan, one of the largest student-run non-profit organizations on campus. Conducting events throughout the year, the group strives to raise both funds and awareness for the children in need of pediatric rehabilitation. The creative and interactive therapies they provide through an allocation of funds to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan enrich the lives of hundreds of children. In March of each year, hundreds of students stand on their feet for 30 hours to show their dedication to their cause. Projects I've done for the organization range from brochures to Facebook profile pictures, and large-scale posters to the redesign of their official logo.
During the summer of 2010, I volunteered to be a foster home for 3 cats. Space in the Huron Valley Humane Society was scarce, so for a month, I fostered them. Eva (the mommy) was 2 years old and the 2 babies were only 4 weeks old. It turned out that Eva was not their biological mother, but still took on the role of nursing them when they arrived at the humane society. They're purrfect. Everyone should have a pet because studies show that it has health benefits!
I helped Sue make this when I volunteered at the local Center for Independent Living. During the winter of 2010, I was an assistant to a person with disabilities. We thought with our hands to not only shape clay, but also form new ideas and perspectives as we learned through our shared creativity. This opportunity furthered my passion for helping others to express their message for everyone else to experience.
While studying abroad in France during spring of 2010, I took a course on the creative process. In that course, I learned to develop my ability to generate innovative ideas and manifest them from thought into reality. Above is an image of my final project where I collaborated with my friend TJ, who is pursing a BBA in the Ross School of Business at U of M. We created a trébuchet, composed solely of found objects on the grounds in which we were staying. A trébuchet is a Middle-Age siege weapon that uses a counter-weight to launch a projectile. Our finished project was fully functional and could throw a projectile over 50 meters. We broke all of those windows in the background of the picture... I'm just kidding
>>>Click here to watch us throw something<<<
NOTE: There were no 1,000 year old buildings damaged in the making of this video
During my senior year at the University of Michigan, I had the opportunity to spend my spring break in an inner city Chicago classroom tutoring 5th graders. For that week, myself and 9 other university students worked closely with teachers helping the students prepare for their upcoming ISAT (Illinois Standards Achievement Test.) Coincidentally, the 5th grade teacher I worked alongside was a former graphic designer and had redirected his interest in visual communication to the world of teaching. Demonstrating worksheets with a clear hierarchy of information to beautifully color-coordinated overhead notes, good graphic design was apparent in everything he produced for the students. Through his methodologies and dynamic classroom environment, I experienced first-hand how important my graphic design education is, as not every student learns the same way. My creativity and passion can be used for more than just myself and the objects I design, it can be an aid for children struggling to grasp concepts. Please ask me to hear more about this rewarding experience!
Outside of the classroom, I'm extremely active in my ongoing mission to contribute through design. I constantly strive to diversify my network, whether it's designing a poster, identity, or t-shirt. Above are a select few of the student organizations I've had a pleasure to work with. Through these opportunities, I've diversified my experiences and developed a unique perspective dealing with clients and managing multiple projects as well as meeting a lot of interesting new students from different disciplines and backgrounds.
